Horn won't shut off

[ellev8or]

92 PA base,

Car was parked and horn came on with a steady burst. I tried using the remote but that didn't stop the horn. I started the engine and that didn't silence the horn. I had to disconnect the battery to shut off the horn. This is the second PA I've owned and I've never experienced this. What could have caused this? I was going to remove the fuse but I can't seem to locate it. I've checked the panel under the drive side dash and under the hood at the passenger side firewall, but no fuse. Any suggestions?

Thanks for your assistance.

[MagicRat]

Your horn relay may be shorting out, making your horn operate all the time.

Have a look at your relays. You might find the horn relay is the same as another relay, such as the fuel pump. If it is, try swapping relays with a known good one and see if the horn operates normally. If so, get a new relay.

It its still stuck on with another relay, you may have a short in the steering column

[ellev8or]

Thanks MagicRat,

Anyone know where I can get the diagram for the relays?

[ellev8or]

I've located the relay and swapped it out with a new relay but the horn is not working with the new relay. I removed the new relay and connected the old relay and the horn works. Am I missing something? I know this is an indication of something, I just don't know what that something is. Please help.

Thanks

[Bassasasin]

First reading what you have I would say recheck your work.
Removing the relay verifies your on the right relay when the horn quits.

Swapping the relay you only have 3 possible results.
1. Fixed the problem.
2. Still have the problem. (troubleshoot towards the steering wheel)
3. Introduced a problem. (like borrowed a relay from the circuit or bad relay again)

Good luck.

[Tech II]

The other possibility is the switch in the horn pad, which unfortunately may be part of the air bag....

[ellev8or]

Thanks to everyone who provided assistance.

The horn fuse was blown. I realized that there is a horn relay located under the hood on the firewall at the front passenger section and there's a horn fuse (25V) located inside the car at the front passenger section underneath the dash closest to the floor and right wall near door hinge.

The horn had stopped working and the blown fuse caused a malfunction with the remote trunk release.

Thanks again.

[ellev8or]

Okay! I assumed that I'd fixed the simple problem but the horn started blowing again for no reason. It was 2:30am and I had to run outside to remove the relay to prevent waking up the neighbors. I haven't checked yet but I'm sure the horn fuse under the dash has blown again. If that is the case, what could be causing the fuse to blow constantly? This is only the second time and I can't use my daily driver without a horn. Please bear in mind that there's a horn relay and horn fuse which I recently learned.

As always, your assistance is valued and appreciated.

Thanks

[Tech II]

A blown fuse is not going to turn on your horn......

As far as I know, the fuse for the trunk release has nothing to do with the horn....they are separate circuits.....

I don't think it is a horn relay.....bad relays don't go off in the night....they either don't work, or they don't release when activated(contacts stick)/deactivated....however, I would switch with another relay(same number) to be sure....

So that means one of two things.....the horn pad switch or content theft system.......

Have seen where the horn pad switches, where they have been used a lot over time, their distance between contacts, grows smaller......now, on cold nights, the cold can make the contacts bend towards each other, setting the horn off.......

The other possibility, is your Content Theft System........

When the horn relay is grounded, it will be constant......

When the relay is pulsed, by the rap module due to a break in, the horn goes on and off, repeatedly.....


Does your horn pulse or is it on constantly?

[ellev8or]

@Tech II

When the remote trunk release wouldn't work I didn't know why, but when I replaced the blown horn fuse the remote trunk release was operable again. I just went outside to check the remote trunk release and its not working and I haven't checked yet but I'm certain that the horn fuse under the dash has blown again. The trunk will open when I use my key or press the trunk release button on the dash, but it will not work when using the remote.

I don't think its the horn relay either. Before learning about the horn fuse I switched out the horn relay with different relays and new relays but that didn't solve anything.

Are the horn pads the triangle shaped plastic on the steering wheel? If so, they are missing and the metal contacts on the inside are visible.

I don't know what the Content Theft System and it sounds like I'm going to need a tech to diagnose and repair it.

When the horn started blaring it was constant, no pulse.

Thanks

[Tech II]

I am looking at a schematic for a '96, instead of a '95....

It shows fuse #3, as the horn fuse.....fuse #2 powers the solenoid.....

If the solenoid opens with the button, but not your remote, then fuse #2 is not blown.....

What number fuse is actually blowing?

What are you pressing to make the horn work?

[ellev8or]

@Tech II

Would the schematics be the same for a 92 since you're looking at 96? I haven't looked at any schematics but the horn fuse is located on the panel underneath the dash at the passenger front.

Fuses: there are two columns with four per column and four rows with two per row with a total of 8 fuses. The horn fuse is the last fuse (4th) in the second column and the second fuse in the forth row (rows only have two fuses). The fuse positions are not number but if I counted top to bottom (left column first) or left to right (top row first) it would be identified as fuse position #8. The number #8 fuse is constantly being blown.

I've just checked the horn fuse again and yes, like last week, the #8 fuse (25V) was blown, making this the second fuse I've installed in a week. And yes, the remote trunk release was inoperable until I removed the blown horn fuse and put in a new one. Now the horn is working and the metal lift for the trunk is lifting, catching and closing the trunk. I've learned that if the remote trunk release is inoperable and the trunk is opened, it's extremely difficult to close it without destroying the latch because the latch will not lift, thus keeping the trunk open and unlocked.

I'm pressing the metal tabs under the horn pads. My horn pads were broken off.

Thanks

[ellev8or]

Another fuse was blown. I really need to figure this out.

[Tech II]

My bad....must be having a brain cramp....for some reason, I thought that your vehicle was a '95....sorry about that.........

Do you have your owner's manual?....usually in the manual, they list the fuses in the fuse block and also the relay center, which I believe is what you are looking at.....they list the fuse # or name, and also tell what circuits they feed.....

This is all I could find....lower left hand corner....the black wire to the horn relay is what is grounding......that goes up the steering column to the horn switch.....what isn't shown is the circuit that joins this, from your keyless entry module circuit......however, I am leaning toward those horn switches....

[ellev8or]

The owners manual only includes limited info of fuses. Not where there located or whats the slot numbers. The three different areas have diagrams but the fuse and relay panel that houses the horn fuse only has the diagram, not the numbering sequence of the fuses and relays.

Sounds like I need to take it in to a tech. To me, its suicide driving without an operable horn when 95% of the motorist are texting and talking while driving.

Thanks